Usefulness of echocariography in detecting hart abnormalities in pregnancies with Preeclampsia/Gestational Hypertension

Abstract

Introduction. Preeclampsia is a disorder in pregnancy which includes high blood pressure and proteinuria. It is recognized in 5-8% of all pregnancies. In the last several years an association between heart abnormalities and preeclampsia has been observed. Echocardiography as an imaging method is increasingly being used in obstetrics in the management of hemodynamic changes which occur in normal but also in pregnancies with preeclapsia. The aim of the study was to determine the usefulness of echocardiography in the control of pregnancies complicated with preeclampsia/gestational hypertension. Materials and methods. A total number of 38 patients were analyzed in our study. It was realized at the University Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics and University Clinic for Cardiology. Pregnant women were recruited from the Outpatient clinic at the University Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics. After signing an informed consent for participation in the study pregnant women were divided in two groups ( normotensive and pregnancies with gestational hypertension/preeclampsia). Echocardiographic examination was done at patients entry in the study. Results and discussion. In more than 38% of the cases in the examined group with hypertension an abnormal heart remodeling was seen with asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction/hypertrophy. In the normotensive control group the heart function was normal in all evaluated cases